"تقرير الإدارة عن المقيمية السياسية في الخليج الفارسي للأعوام ١٩١٥-١٩١٩" [و‎‎١‎٠‎٩] (٣٩٦/٢٢٤)

!'■ I
FOE THE YEAR 1917. 45
I
With the price of silTer and the demand for dollars the price of the Maria
Theresa rose to an extraordinary height and caused considerable difficulties to
merchants. At the opening of the year the exchange rate was Rs. 170 to the
100 dollars. In May it was Rs. 180 and it was reported that with the date
season it would touch Kb. 200, a rate which was considered prohibitive. By
July it was Bs. 212 and, at the close of the year, reached Us. 255 makino'
living an impossibility for those of the poorer classes paid in rupees. b
It was found necessary to give a compensation rate to the menial establish
ment of the Political Agency to enable them to exist.
i
French Interests,
^ The number of Sur dhows flying the
French flag is now reduced to 6.
There is but one French subject at Muscat, and Algerian Jew turned
(i Muhammadan, an ex-arms dealer, by name Ibrahim Elbaz or Guegyer.
[> On the 16th July a Japanese ship, the " Yeifuke Maru," chartered by the
is French Government, with 1,200 Ammanese labour corps on board and some 30
French troops under a French Captain and Doctor bound from Saigon for
k Marseilles via Colombo and Djibouti arrived at Muscat. She had been unable
to make Djibouti in the monsoon and arrived at Muscat with no water and
ii but a few tons of coal left.
Owing to the sanitary conditions of the ship and, fearing an epidemic, the
[l Political Agent decided to have the troops landed. The French Consul agreed
and a camp was pitched by the 3rd Brahmans at Darsait, 3 miles from Muscat,
where the French troops were accommodated till the arrival of a French ship
"La Loire on the 28th July. The troops embarked and left on the 29th
having lost 9 men with heat stroke during their stay at Muscat.
American Mission,
The Rev. F. Barney left for America
I on the 10th February.
i, Dr. (Miss) Hosmon and Miss Lutton left for India on the 31st May.
1 Miss Lutton returned on the 21st September and Dr. Hosmon on the
1st October.
The Kev. Gr. D. Van Peursem, formerly of Bahrain, with Mrs. Van
Peursem and three children arrived in December.
The year was not exceptionally hot except in the month of July, the
climate and Health. highest temperature registered being 108°.
The rainfall was 4-14i inches.
Though there was no^ epidemic the health of Muscat was bad. From the
single regiment stationed in the place no fewer than nine officers were invalided
owing to fever and debility working out 4 to an average of over 12^ per cent.
The Postmaster was invalided and, after the close of the year, the Head
Clerk of this Agency has followed suit.
In all cases the cause has been the same and has been responsible for much
wastage among the native ranks.
Signs of hook worm have since been observed, and investigations are being
made as to whether this is not responsible for a large part of the sickness.
L. HAWOETH, Major,
Political Agent, Muscat-
i
Jr J